One of these voices is coming from a very unlikely place, Israel, where its nuclear energy program has been described as being “in a state of ambiguity” for years due to ongoing rumors of it possessing a number of nuclear weapons.

During the recent Negev Conference in Israel’s southernmost city of Eilat, Mr. Yiftach Ron-Tal, Chairman of the Israel Electric Company, told conference attendees that “Israel should build a nuclear power station, and it must be made to be safe. Hasty decisions should not be made because of what is happening in Japan.”

Ron-Tals remarks, as reported in Globes financial news site, emphasized that Israel should “move forward and learn”. He added that in a decade “we’ll have an advanced nuclear reactor in the northern Negev.”

Learn indeed: recent news coming from Japan now indicates that the radiation levels are becoming so high in the Fukishima Daiichi plant that all that can be done to try to cool down the exposed reactor fuel rods is to drop sea water from helicopters on the reactors from above.

Israel’s nuclear program has been ongoing since the early 1950’s, and became accelerated when the French, under the leadership of President Charles De Gaulle agreed to help Israel with its nuclear program, with the idea that a nuclear Israel could be a control factor over Egypt during Frances war in Algeria.

Israel now has two nuclear reactors in operation: the one in Dimona, and a second one at Sorek, between Tel Aviv and Ashdod.

We might now say “so much for nuclear ambiguity”. During the Negev Conference, which was organized to encourage tourism and other industries to Israel’s largest – and driest region, economic models were presented that would turn Eilat into a “gateway” city to Africa and Europe, with a population of around 150,000.

“As for the Jordanian power station, we’re monitoring it. This is a matter for the government. Appropriate geo-seismological studies are being conducted to find the best location for such a power station, especially with regard to the Syria-Africa Rift Valley. Israel is monitoring the issue, but there is no partnership by Israel. Current reactors are much safer than the reactors in Japan, which are very old.”

With plans to make renewable energy provide 10% of Israel’s total power needs within 20 years, and with the availability of natural gas – Ron-Tal added that “Israel has become a natural gas power” – why would the use of nuclear energy be such a viable option in light what is happening in Japan? That’s obviously an answer that only Israel’s leadership can make forthcoming, in light of its nuclear history to date.

3 thoughts on “As Japan Nuclear Plants Meltdown, Israel To Build “Safe” One in the Desert”

It’s amazing how an event such as that which is happening in Japan can change everything. America, for example, has 104 nuclear power plants. And many can still remember the Three Mile Island and Silkwood incidents. There is also a lighter side in regards to The Simpsons comic series, when the father, Homer Simpson, often came home from his job in the nuclear power plant with a piece of glowing nuke material in his pocket.